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Secular Coalition Applauds Obama Decision to Forgo Defending DOMA

Wed, 02/23/2011 - 15:58

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Secular Coalition for America fully supports the Obama administration’s announcement today that it will no longer defend in court Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which is the part of the federal law defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

“Today’s announcement by the Obama administration is a great victory for reason, compassion, and secular values,” said Sean Faircloth, executive director of the Secular Coalition for America. “It has been well-established that the primary opposition to recognition of same-sex marriage is rooted in religious bias.”

The Secular Coalition for America opposes any religious definition for marriage in law. Houses of worship may define marriage however they wish, but the government should remain unbiased.

“In a nation that values the separation of church and state, no two people should be relegated to second-class status and deprived equal marriage rights by our government simply because their partnership goes against the religious beliefs of some Americans,” Faircloth said. “We commend the Obama administration for taking this courageous step to ensure that Americans may have equal access to the benefits of civil marriage regardless of gender.”

The Secular Coalition for America is a 501(c)4 advocacy organization whose purpose is to amplify the diverse and growing voices of the nontheistic community in the United States.